St Macartans Ladies GFC Active Futures

Aim

A new adult women fitness programme supporting return to sport, progression and long term participation in rural Clogher Valley.

Who are we?

St Macartans Ladies GFC was formed in 1992 and we currently have 200+ members, fielding girl’s teams from U10 to Senior level. Our reach covers rural areas of Eskra, Clogher and Augher County Tyrone. 

We are a constituted voluntary Ladies Gaelic Football Club, with a committee elected each year at our AGM. Our Club is focused on providing health, social, educational, sporting, and physical activity outlets through sport for females living across our rural catchments, playing a significant role in rural community driven sport for beneficiaries by providing leisure, culture, social and wellbeing activities in our area. 

Our programmes promote inclusivity to all regardless of their background. We do this by providing initiatives that address various societal issues girls face, providing opportunities for our local rural residents in a non-competitive, more inclusive way. 

For example, we have facilitated Gaelic for Mothers and Others as well as mental health and wellbeing workshops. The club is based in a rural community, where deprivation figures are high and the lack of opportunities for girls hinders the progress of many, primarily younger girls to reach their full sporting, health, and social potential in life.

Why are we crowdfunding?

We are crowdfunding to raise £7,900 to deliver a new adult women fitness and training programme running from launch through to the end of March 2026.

The programme will be 2 x 2 hours per week and will support 30 to 40 adult women aged 18+ from the rural communities of Clogher, Eskra and Augher. Many women locally face barriers to sustained participation in physical activity due to work and family commitments, cost, confidence, and limited access to structured female focused opportunities.

Participants will be new to sport or returning after years away and some will be older women 65+ and will take part in , delivered across hired pitch and indoor facilities in Clogher and Augher. 

Each session will last 60 to 75 minutes and include a coached warm up, light fitness, strength and conditioning, mobility and flexibility work, and then specific GAA introduction skill sessions. 

Participants will have 54+ hours of direct contact via this new programme up to March. 

Sessions will be progressive and delivered at varying intensity levels, allowing women returning after inactivity and those already active to train safely within the same programme.

We will also upskill 4 participants with coaching qualifications such as GAA foundation and level 1.

The programme is designed to provide routine, accountability and social connection, supporting long term engagement rather than short term participation.

The programme will conclude with a half day fun sport and activity event, bringing participants together to celebrate progress, reinforce confidence, and encourage continued involvement beyond the project.

Funding raised will cover facility hire, qualified coaches, refreshments equipment, and delivery costs. 

Sport NI Creating Opportunities 

This project fits really well with the aims of the Creating Opportunities programme, as it focuses on adult women, a group that is often under represented in regular sport and physical activity, particularly in rural areas like Clogher, Eskra and Augher.

Over the years we have seen many women step away from sport due to work, family commitments, confidence issues or simply a lack of suitable opportunities locally. This programme has been designed to change that by creating a new and additional opportunity that supports women to return to activity in a way that feels welcoming, flexible and realistic.

The programme will offer 2 structured sessions each week, giving participants routine, progression and ongoing support rather than short term or one off activity. Sessions will be suitable for women returning after a long break as well as those who are already active but want structure and motivation to keep going.

Creating Opportunities is about levelling the playing field and helping people re engage with sport. This project does exactly that by removing cost barriers, providing trained coaches and mentors, and creating a supportive group environment where women can build confidence together.

The project will also help strengthen the club long term by developing 4 new coaches and mentors, ensuring we can continue offering inclusive women focused activity beyond this programmes conclusion.

How we’ll spend the money raised

Our target is £7,900. All funds raised will go directly to our project delivery. Sport NI will contribute 50% of our target. Our budget is:

2 coaching costs 6 hours per week (4 hours delivery and 2 hours planning) x 54 hours total @ £30 per hour= £3,240

Upskilling 4 volunteer budget (foundation and level 1 GAA)= £1,000

Pitch hire and indoor / gym hire 4 hours per week £40 per hour x 54 hours= £2,160

Equipment- O'Neills Gaelic Football Trainer Pack of 12 @ £135 each x 10= £1,350

Refreshments= £150

Community impact

St Macartans Ladies GFC plays an important role within the rural communities of Eskra, Clogher and Augher, where access to sport, physical activity and positive social outlets can be limited, particularly for females.

Since forming in 1992, the club has grown to over 200 members and provides structured opportunities for girls and women from Under 10 through to Senior level. For many participants, the club is one of the only consistent community spaces available to them locally, offering routine, connection and a sense of belonging.

Our impact goes beyond sport. The club provides a safe, welcoming environment that supports physical health, mental wellbeing and social connection. Through initiatives such as Gaelic for Mothers and Others, mental health and wellbeing workshops and inclusive training opportunities, we support women and girls who may not feel confident engaging in traditional or competitive sport.

As a rural club operating in an area with higher levels of deprivation and fewer local services, our programmes help reduce isolation and improve confidence, particularly for women and girls who face barriers related to cost, transport and self belief.

This programme will build on that impact by creating a dedicated pathway for adult women, supporting them to become more active, more confident and more connected within their local community, while strengthening long term participation in sport.

How you can play your part

There are four simple ways to help us reach our target, and make this project a reality.

1. Make a pledge. Don’t delay if you’re going to support us because momentum is key to our success!

2. Spread the word. Share our project on your social media pages and tell the world to get behind us! The more people we reach, the more support we will get.

3. Offer rewards. Get involved if you are a local business by donating things we can offer to our supporters. We will give you a shout out!

4. Fundraise for us. If you want to run your own fundraiser – maybe a sponsored activity or similar – use the 'contact project' button at the top of our page to let us know. Setting up your own page only takes a few minutes and you won’t need any bank details. Just a fun idea!

Funding method

Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made